You might frequently hear how much mindset matters. And it does! Mindset plays a significant role in thinking, responding, and moving forward in everyday life. If you want to develop a mindset that improves your life, you can take steps to do so.
If you’re on the fence about whether mindset matters in a real way, I’ll break it down.
What is Mindset?
By definition, a mindset is “the established set of attitudes held by someone.” Another dictionary defines mindset as “a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.”
If you were to ask me for my personal definition of mindset, I’d say: It’s how your brain filters everyday experiences.
Maybe mine isn’t the prettiest definition, but it’s how I see it! That’s my mindset on mindset if you will.
Now you might be thinking, mindset matters. Why?
Why Mindset Matters
The first time I cared much about mindset was when I read Dr. Carol Dweck’s famous book on the topic. I’d always had a positive attitude and outlook, but I didn’t know how that mindset affected people. Wow, did I get educated! That book changed my life! Here’s why mindset matters:
- It’s how you see yourself
- It’s how you see challenges
- It’s how you see failure
- It’s how you see progress
- It’s how you see life
Imagine going through life unaware that your mindset is crucial to your success. You think negatively because things always go negatively for you. Or is it the other way around? Do things always go negatively for you because you think negative thoughts?
Your thoughts are more influential than you think! Changing your mindset can change your life.
Is Change Really Possible?
Have you ever said, “People don’t change?” I’ve got news for you: you’re mistaken. People do change. If you believe they don’t, you have a fixed mindset. FYI, that’s not what we’re aiming for – because mindset matters and that’s not the one that will get you where you want to be.
Change is wholly possible and pretty standard for many people. I am so far removed from the person I was ten years ago. At 21, I was a bar-hopping, day-drinking, sarcastic, fun-seeking college student with plans to do whatever was easiest and most enjoyable to make money after graduation. At 31, I am a wife and mom of 3 who loves being a homebody, geeking out on leadership, and attending church services every weekend. That’s growth.
How have you changed in the last decade? How will you change in the next decade? I’m hoping you have changed, and you will change. A growth mindset is vital to change.
But what is a growth mindset?
Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset
If you’ve never read Carol Dweck’s inspirational work, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, I highly recommend it. In the book, Dweck examines what drives people to success. Why does one child achieve stunning results in school and the other with similar intelligence does not? Dweck’s research determined it to be the mindset.
When an individual has a fixed mindset, they do not approach challenges with the idea that they will be met. Instead, they avoid challenges. A fixed mindset says I can’t do that. It says, I’m not smart enough, or I’m not fast enough, or I’m not gifted enough. Guess what? The belief that those statements are true will make those statements true.
A growth mindset is one in which the individual approaches challenges with the idea that they can achieve greatness. It says I will learn to read, or I can get into college, or I am smart enough. The belief in these statements can also make them true.
It’s been years since I read Mindset, but there are parts that I remember so well. Dweck tells of an inner-city elementary school class where the students are far behind. The students knew they were behind, but the teacher told them they would be advanced readers by the end of the year. The teacher told those kids of her belief in them, and then? They proved her right.
A growth mindset invites learning, development, and improvement despite all the odds against you.
Do you believe now that mindset matters?
Responding to Failure
Knowing the basics of a growth mindset, we can imagine how mindset matters in the face of failure. See, if you have a fixed mindset and come across failure, you’d likely say, “I’m done.” However, if you employ a growth mindset and failure shows up in your life, you’d say, “What can I do differently?”
How do you respond to failure? Your response can be an indicator of your mindset – and trust me, mindset matters!
Mindset Matters Path to Success
You can likely find a map to a growth mindset with 54389624 steps. While I appreciate the detailed plans available for people, I think it’s a bit easier to keep things simple when starting out with change. Most habit researchers agree (I’m a big James Clear fan!). If you believe that mindset matters, it’s time for action.
Out of all the recommendations and plans online, I’ve whittled it down to these four steps. These steps are what works best for me. It’s straightforward, simple, and easier to work into my life than some elaborate versions. Let’s see if these might work for you, too.
1. Self-Reflection
Have you ever heard someone suggest self-reflection and thought, pft. I’m not self-centered enough for that.
Oh, you haven’t? That’s a relief. Because self-reflection is imperative in personal and leadership development. If you want to be the best you can be, you must reflect on yourself.
How do you practice self-reflection? There are several ways you can start to examine yourself. I don’t mean looking in the mirror and checking yourself out. This kind of self-reflection is the internal kind. The mindset kind.
My favorite self-reflection practices include journaling, meditation, and examining my emotions throughout the day. Personally, I keep a prayer journal (which started because I’m so often interrupted, my prayers get scattered – Mom life!) where I begin by thanking God for the things I’m grateful for. Writing down what you’re thankful for can be so enlightening!
I don’t necessarily meditate daily, but I like to at least once a week. It can be helpful to understand what’s going on in your head by focusing your thoughts and redirecting them to what’s important at the moment: breathing.
I also find it helpful to know why I’m feeling what I’m feeling. Did I wake up irritated – why? Did I get enough sleep? Was I rudely awakened? How can I get through the feeling to make the day more positive? When I’m feeling lazy and uninspired, why am I feeling these things? Did I have a failure that I need to learn from? When did these feelings begin?
Self-reflection is essential to developing a positive or growth mindset. And you want to do that because mindset matters.
2. Reframe Challenges and Failures
When you meet a challenge or failure, you have to be able to see it for what it is. So many people focus on the failure itself and the part they played in it. I’m so stupid; I can’t believe I did that. I’m never going to succeed. I’m not cut out for this. Why did I even try this?
Stop.
Breathe.
Let’s reframe it. If you know anything about photography, you might know about the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is when you imagine a grid placed in the photo’s frame with two vertical and two horizontal lines, evenly spaced. With the lines drawn out this way, there will be four points of intersection.
Fantastic photographs have the main components of those intersections. This trick brings balance and a visual flow that other pictures do not typically display.
How can we use the rule of thirds to reframe failures? Consider the main components and aim for balance.
Break down the failure into the most vital aspects. Where was your focus, and where should it have been? How can you change things to get the balance needed to leave this failure in the dust?
When I think of a recent failure, I think of an ad I ran on social media. It reached more than 4000 people – and a whopping 18 individuals clicked on my link. No one bought anything. Failure? Absolutely. Will I run another ad at another time? Absolutely.
Why? Because I’ve reframed it. My focus was on selling a downloadable, and I didn’t consider all of the other aspects that go into advertising. Rookie mistake – I learned this stuff in undergrad! I won’t do the same thing when I run my next ad. I’ve learned because I have a growth mindset. Do you?
Trust me, mindset matters.
3. Ditch the Praise
When I think of how much mindset matters, I struggled to get on board with this one. I have always been a “good job, buddy!” kind of mom and a “nice work, Corey” kind of leader. I had heard how this could damage children and rolled my eyes…until I saw the research.
Praise is dangerous. When we continually praise our children for every little thing, they begin to aim for it. That seems okay until you realize they’ll continue to think this way for the rest of their lives. What happens when your child gets a job where they aren’t constantly praised and can’t complete any work? Or worse, what if their self-worth is attributed to the praise they receive, and then they don’t get any?
When you say, “You are so smart!” Kids often think they are inherently intelligent and don’t need to work to improve themselves. If you’re thinking, I’m not here to learn about kids, consider this: who do those kids grow up to be?
Instead of praise, consider using specific compliments. Don’t say, “You’re so smart.” Say, “That was a smart decision you made.” Don’t say, “Great job!” Say, “I can tell you put a lot of effort into that presentation.” Don’t say, “You’re a natural!” Say, “Your hard work shows!”
The slight difference seems small – and it can be hard to break the praise habit. But the results can be astounding! Mindset matters, and praise can create a mindset you don’t want people to develop. As difficult as it can be to make this change, it’s a change that’s essential.
4. Focus on Continued Learning
Your mindset matters, friends, and to establish a great mindset, you must continue learning. Leaders never stop learning. Why? When you think you know it all, you stop growing. How can you develop a growth mindset when you already know everything? You can’t!
Continued learning doesn’t have to be more and more college degrees. You don’t have to get a doctorate or max out your student loans. Learning occurs in so many ways! Listen to a podcast. Read a book. Watch a TED Talk. See a speaker. Find a mentor. Take a free online course.
No matter how you choose to continue your education, just keep learning. If you think mindset matters, this is one step you must take.
Sharing An Improved Mindset Matters
Here’s the kicker about improving your mindset: others notice. You share your mindset, and people think, wow, how can I be like that?! When I read Dweck’s book, I told everyone about it! You can change your mindset and begin to share, too.
It matters because it’s like people catch your mindset. Your mindset matters because it influences others. Do you want to influence others to have a fixed mindset? A negative mindset? Or, would you like to inspire a growth mindset within your organization? Leaders, you must choose a growth mindset for the team’s benefit.
Mindset matters, folks.